Mary Landrieu and the War on American Energy

Earlier this month, we shared concerning details about Rhea Suh, President Obama’s nominee to be the next Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks for the Department of Interior. Interestingly, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) supports Suh despite clear indications that she would threaten energy related jobs, especially in Landrieu’s state of Louisiana:

While two committeehearings on Suh’s nomination have raised significant concerns about her qualifications, Suh’s recorded sentiments are the real concern. For example, prior to her work at Interior, Suh facilitated environmental grants with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and later the David and Lucille Packard Foundation where she opined :

The focus is on natural gas development throughout the inter-mountain West and in Canada. The pace and magnitude of this development is easily the single greatest threat to the ecological integrity of the West.

Climate change, population growth and unfettered development threaten much of the West’s iconic landscapes.

Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved Suh’s nomination, and Landrieu is still singing her praises:

“This position is charged not with overseeing energy production, but with overseeing fish, wildlife and parks,” Landrieu said. “Ms. Suh repeatedly reiterated her support for natural gas production before this committee. She stated unequivocally that she would absolutely support responsible development of natural gas and other fossil fuels from our public lands.”

But it seems Mary Landrieu’s remarks are more politically than factually motivated.

As Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)54% said, “If confirmed, she would be able to block natural gas production on public lands and private property. In light of Ms. Suh’s past statements and actions, I expect her to do exactly that.”

The Louisianans who have lost jobs because of policies Suh was instrumental in implementing shouldn’t be as forgiving as Mary Landrieu of Suh’s green-friendly ideology and anti-natural gas mentality.

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